Thursday, June 21, 2012

Woman Reports Sexual Assault on Blue Ridge Parkway

This morning's NPS Digest is reporting that a rape took place along the Blue Ridge Parkway last month.

A Virginia woman reported that she was attacked and raped by two men at the Ground Hog Mountain picnic ground.

On Sunday, May 13th, the woman was transported to a local hospital, where she reported the assault to hospital staff. They in turn contacted park dispatch that evening and reported the incident. Rangers interviewed the woman, who said that she’d been walking the trail that runs through the picnic area around 3 p.m. that afternoon when she was attacked from behind by the two men. They assaulted her and then fled. She said that another woman helped her back to her car, that she then left the area, and that about four hours after the attack, decided to go to the hospital due to the pain of her injuries.

Rangers conducted a consent search of her vehicle for evidence of the crime and found a receipt dated May 13th and time stamped at 3 p.m. from a location more than 20 miles from the scene of the alleged attack. The woman was released the next day.

Following consultation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, rangers turned the case over to Patrick County investigators. They contacted the woman and arranged a second interview. She reluctantly consented and the investigators met with her on May 20th. She refused to provide additional details regarding the incident. The investigation continues.